J Chambers / Dub Poetry / Natural High Music

Manchester meets Kingston on this damn fine 45, as poet J. Chambers teams up with Jamaican production crew Natural High. In a proud, young British accent Chambers follows in the socially conscious / political footsteps of pioneers such as Linton Kwesi Johnson and Benjamin Zephaniah. His words, calling out the demonisation of immigration, institutionalised racism, the rise of the far-right and the genocide in Gaza, set to righteous modern roots, snake-charming Far East sax and police sirens.  

A huge “Thank you” to Tom Dubwise for the tip. 

Infinite Wheel / Java Dub / Midnight Drive

The Infinite Wheel was a mid-90s alias of James Johnstone and Mark Smith, two former members of Bristolian post-punk jazz-funkers Pig Bag. They released records on Belgian techno imprint R&S, and New York house institution Nu Groove. Java Dub, however, was a hand-stamped white label promo that, in 1994, appeared on London’s Brainiak. An 8-minute machine meditation, it’s very much the downtempo flip side of progressive house. A totally refreshed, but totally relaxed shot of slow motion trance. Its bass heavy rumbling shaken by Sci Fi sound effects and a hypnotic, chugging, percussive tribal rhythm. The sort of track, in fact, that you might have found on Andrew Weatherall’s Emissions Audio Output label, or heard him spin early doors, setting the scene, at his notorious shindig, Sabresonic.

Mantsche / Dub Poetry / Freund Der Familie

Austrian artist Mantsche surrounds Rasta words praising Haile Selassie and teaching the Old Testament with a world of slo-mo dub techno echo. Like some serious sedated Rhythm & Sound the music is constructed from cryptic crackles, static, sitar strains and smoke-like clouds of distant dubwise thunder. A melodica melody takes the heavy edge off. 

Kim Mulligan / Wishing On A Star / 333

Loon bird calls carbon-date this Computer Paul and Donny Marshall-produced cut to the late `80s. A steady skanking, digital lovers cover of the Rose Royce hit, it’s the sort of loved-up stuff that, back in the day, soundtracked Balearic Beat beano back rooms, and served as end-of-the-night tunes at clubs such as Covent Garden’s Yellow Book. Totally “Movement 98” compatible, the version swaps the vocal for tropical marimba, and emphasises the track’s nod to Carly Simon’s Why. 

N_1 Sound / People Have a Right to Build / Spiritual World

N_1 Sound reinterpret a track from fellow Canadian Michael Cloud Duguay’s latest album, Wobbly Yonder, as heavy, abstract dub that calls to mind Duppy Gun and Seekersinternational. Where gnarly knotted wah-wah licks and bionic brass blasts are twisted in and out of percolating, programmed percussion, thunder claps and machine gun snares. Squeezing in a fragment of jazz fusion freakout, while Kingston’s IJAHBAR adds a mighty Prince Far I-esque vocal. 

J Robinson / Good Over Evil / Mediator Music

J “Whodemsound” Robinson has a new single that hits heavier than this usual gear. Good Over Evil is a Jah Shaka Sound System worthy stepper, full of infinitely echoed Disciples / Boom Shacka Lacka-esque keys and dubstep bass growls, and defined by a prayer, Ofra Haza-like vocal, and a wistful, spiritual, woodwind melody – in an Alpha & Omega stylee.

Shit Robot / No Cigar (Adrian Sherwood Dub) / DFA

The original mix of Shit Robot’s No Cigar is slow, retro electro / synth pop, which, with its spoken vocal, could easily pass for a piece of performance art from late `70s / early `80s New York’s Lower East Side. Combining drums that nod toward the Human League’s Love Action / Hard Times with scratchy rhythm guitar its second half erupts with distorted electronic buzzes. 

Adrian Sherwood’s remix is a subtle, not radical, reworking. The On-U Sound founder detonating drums into echoed explosions and showers of hand claps, having flashes of the fretwork zoom in and out. However, while the tempo stays the same, these effects, plus the odd tumbling conga fill, make the dub feel more urgent.

Slickn’Bobby / Dance Affi Nice / Touching Bass

For their second release, Slickn’Bobby eschew the post-rock leanings of their debut, and instead focus on getting rootical. Dance Affi Nice recruits Liam Bailey, who recently shone on Joe Armon Jones’ Sorrow, and here leads a slow, stoned sounding skank – where his boasts, toasts, preach peace and unity. Mixing desk effects turning drum hits metallic and transforming Bailey into echoed vocal vapour. 

On the flip of the 45, Juicy Bubble, a strong, strident stepping, bass and tumbling drum driven warrior charge, takes the tempo up into house / dance floor territory. 

Mark Stewart / Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometime / Mute

The lead single from Mark Stewart’s posthumous LP, The Fateful Symmetry, finds the politically charged cultural icon borrowing from Elijah Minnelli while covering The Korgis. 

Minnelli’s debut, Bébe Durmiendo Cumbia, has its bass and mix beefed up a bit by Adrian Sherwood, over which Stewart delivers the Korgis 80s hit, in his distinctive style, as a straight salvation-through-love song. Repurposing pop lyrics was always part of Stewart’s mission / method – see Jerusalem, Strange Things Happen, Survival, Forbidden Colours – and this one could end up a “Balearic” favourite, just like 1987’s seminal Erik Satie-stealing Stranger Than Love.